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Species Information
Summary: Section Typicae (Smith), Section Fragilipedes (Maas Geesteranus). Features include 1) a hygrophanous, dark grayish brown to pale grayish, striate cap with a pale bluish bloom at first, 2) pale gray, interveined gills, 3) a fragile stem that is cap-colored with a bluish cast and a dense white bloom at first, 4) growth on alder logs, 5) a white spore deposit, and 6) elliptic, smooth, amyloid spores. Maas Geesteranus says "It may well be asked whether Mycena alnicola is a truly different species from M. abramsii." The description is derived from Smith(1) except where noted.
Both the type variety and var. odora were described from WA (Smith). Mycena alnicola was also reported from BC by Gamiet(1).
Cap: 1-2.5cm across, elliptic becoming obtusely conic, finally broadly bell-shaped or convex, margin appressed to stem at first; "hygrophanous but scarcely changing color when moisture escapes", "benzo brown" to "fuscous" on disc, the rest "light drab" or the extreme margin white, becoming "drab gray" or paler when old [Smith key indicates blackish becoming pale gray, and Smith says, "Both pileus and stipe of young specimens show considerable variation in color, but nearly always a strong shade of bluish gray prevails beneath the hoary bloom. In age the entire fruiting body becomes glaucous gray"]; pale bluish bloom at first, soon polished and moist, translucent-striate when mature and moist, becoming grooved
Stem: 4-6cm x 0.15-0.2cm, equal, hollow, fragile; "dark Quaker drab" to "dark mouse gray" (with a distinct bluish cast), "at first concolorous with pileus at maturity", the upper part at first with a dense white bloom, soon polished and moist
Odor: mild, but var. odora described from WA somewhat radish-like
Taste: mild, but var. odora described from WA somewhat radish-like
Microscopic spores: spores (6)7-9(10) x 4-5 microns, elliptic, smooth, amyloid; basidia 4-spored; pleurocystidia rare to scattered, similar to cheilocystidia, cheilocystidia 26-40 x 9-15 microns, "clavate to broadly fusoid, becoming elongated, subcylindric", fusoid-ventricose or sometimes with one or two finger-like protuberances, the tips smooth "or with a slight resinous incrustation when revived in KOH", (Smith), spores 9.0-10.7 x 4.7-5.6 microns, pip-shaped, smooth, amyloid; basidia 4-spored, 30-36 x 7-9 microns; pleurocystidia infrequent, similar to cheilocystidia, cheilocystidia forming a sterile band (gill edge homogeneous), 32-60 x 8-17 microns, "fusiform, sublageniform, subcylindrical, clavate, clamped, apically passing into a narrow neck or two to three necks, or mucronate, or broadly rounded", (Maas Geesteranus)
Spore deposit: [presumably white]
Habitat / Range
cespitose [in tufts] to scattered on alder logs
Similar Species
Maas Geesteranus says "It may well be asked whether Mycena alnicola is a truly different species from M. abramsii." (Latin names in italics). Mycena abramsii grows in a variety of habitats. Perry(4) discusses the distinction, "as indicated by Smith (1947) M. alnicola can be distinguished by the distinct bluish cast to young stipe and pilei which is due to the presence of a bloom, as well as the small spores of this species. Additionally, M. alnicola lacks the alkaline to raphanoid or nitrous odor which is often associated with specimens of M. abramsii. Maas Geesteranus viewed the characteristic growth of M. alnicola on Alnus sp. as distinguishing, disregarding collection AHS 16582 from his description due to this collections growth on the wood of Abies. However, additional collections made by Smith and housed at MICH (AHS 165, 16581, 23823, 49010, 66335), as well as collection DED 5578, are reported to have been growing on woody substrata of additional hardwoods and conifers. It appears the substrate preferences of M. alnicola are not as strict as the species name implies." See also SIMILAR section of Mycena ''parabolica''.
